For the third season in a row, the Algona girls basketball team is in the regional finals for class 3A after Algona defeated Western Christian 68-46 last night in class 3A, region 8 semifinal action.
After the teams traded baskets in the first couple of minutes to put Western Christian up 5-4, Algona ran off a scoring run of 8-0, taking a lead that they wouldn’t let up, although it would take a while to put the game away. The Bulldogs held a 16-12 lead at the end of one, then, leading by five late in the second, finished the first half on a 9-2 scoring run over the final four minutes, going up 31-20, as an Lauren McLaughlin hit two three pointers during the run. Algona would hold the Wolfpack scoreless over the final 3 and a half minutes of the first half.
In the third quarter, Algona opened up the three point shot after struggling to hit 3s in the first half. After the Wolfpack scored the first four points to cut the deficit to seven points, Algona got a three by Bella Jo Dunning, a jumper from the lane for two from Hayden McLaughlin, then a three by McLaughlin on three straight possessions to deliver a 10-0 scoring run and force a timeout by the Wolfpack. Casey VanOtterloo would later hit the 3rd triple of the quarter for the Bulldogs, as Algona scored 20 points in the 3rd, and never let Western Christian back to within single digits after that.
Hayden Kuhlmann led four Bulldogs in double figures with 20 points, while also dishing out 8 assists, grabbing 7 steals, and collecting 5 rebounds. Lauren McLaughlin scored 18, including 10 of Algona’s 17 fourth quarter points. Hayden McLaughlin added 14, and Bella Jo Dunning scored 11, to help the Bulldogs overcome the absence of Paige Schmitt, who was injured in the first quarter and did not return.
Shae Reitsma led Western Christian with 11 points in the loss, as the Wolfpack end the season 8-16, while Algona improves to 20-3 with their 15th straight victory. The victory marks Algona’s first 20 win campaign since the 2018-2019 season.
#8 ranked Algona will host #12 ranked Spirit Lake on Saturday night with a trip to the class 3A state tournament on the line, as Spirit Lake beat Unity Christian 63-54 last night. Coverage on Saturday night can be heard starting at 6:45 on KLGA 92.7 FM, with video streaming on the Algona Radio YouTube channel.
